RS

MEMBER DIARY

Will SCGOP/SC Republican Senators follow their own platform re: racism?

On June 26 the SCGOP leadership including SCGOP Chair Karen Floyd and the Executive Committeemen from across the state met for their quarterly meeting. Patrick Hadden, first vice chair was intending to make a motion calling for Senator Jake Knotts’ resignation from the Republican Party. On June 3, on Wesley Donehue’s Internet program (Donehue heads up political strategies for the South Carolina Senate Republican Caucus and technology outreach for the South Carolina Republican Party), Jake Knotts called both Nikki Haley, candidate for governor and President Obama “ragheads”. However backroom deals, similar to the Pelosi/Reid Washington backroom deals, were made prior to the meeting and the motion was never made. SCGOP Chair Karen Floyd and SCOGP leadership closed ranks and protected one of their own Republican Senators despite his racist remarks. (Note: The video from Donehue’s show was not posted online, despite the fact that all the other videos in the Pub Politics series have been posted.)

The SCGOP leadership is willing to accept racism rather than discipline one of their own.

This week the Upcountry Coalition of Conservative Organizations sent a letter to the SC Republican Senators urging them to do what Karen Floyd and the SCGOP leadership will not do … call for Senator Knotts’ resignation from the Republican Party. Here is a copy of that letter:

that many SC senators asked for Gov Sanford’s resignation for reasons similar to the racist comments made by Sen Knotts … that his actions have caused him to lose the trust and support of South Carolinians, that he has engaged in reprehensible behavior, consequently he has lost the ability to lead, and his statements are in violation of the SCGOP Platform, specifically:

“We ask all to join us in rejecting the forces of hatred and bigotry and in denouncing all who practice or promote racism, anti-Semitism, ethnic prejudice, or religious intolerance”

I have not heard back from you definitively in response to the recent email I sent asking that you join the growing number of South Carolina voters, precinct delegates, and conservative individuals and organizations in asking Senator Knotts to resign from the Republican Party. Karen Floyd and the SCGOP leadership refused to bring this matter up for a vote at their Executive Committee meeting on June 26, despite unanimous passage of a resolution at that same meeting which states:

“RESOLVED, that the South Carolina Republican Party urges that no support, financial or otherwise, be given to candidates who clearly do not support the core principles and positions of the Republican Party as expressed in the Platform of the South Carolina Republican Party adopted at the 2009 State Convention.”

We are again calling on you to do what the SCGOP Leadership will not do, and call for Jake Knotts to resign from the Republican Party, based on his violation of the SCGOP Platform and his repugnant comments which shames our state and our party’s leaders.

Sincerely,
Jonathon Hill
Chairman

Upcountry Coalition of Conservative Organizations

http://upcountrycoalition.com

jhill@upcountrycoalition.com
864-245-5885

***South Carolinians … Please join the Upcountry Coalition in urging your senator, Karen Floyd, and the SCGOP leadership to call for Jake Knotts’ resignation. Also, write letters to the editor in your local paper pointing out this deal made behind closed doors and call for greater integrity in the SCGOP than Pelosi/Reid have in DC***